The present invention relates to apparatus for reinforcing a fabric, wherein a pattern of reinforcing material is applied as a fluid, e.g. as a liquid, emulsion, suspension or fluidized powder, to a face of the fabric, preferably in such a way that the reinforcing material does not penetrate substantially through to the other face, and wherein the reinforcing material is subsequently set or cured (e.g. polymerised, vulcanized or cross-linked) to form an elastomeric or plastics material firmly adhering to and reinforcing the fabric. The invention also relates to apparatus for applying the pattern to the fabric and subsequently setting or curing the material, the apparatus including a backing member for supporting the other face of the fabric in order to enable the pattern to be applied to the first face of the fabric, and an arrangement for subsequently substantially setting or curing the material applied to the fabric.
British Pat. No. 1,201,941 discloses printing a plastic onto the underside of a top cloth in order to form a substitute for an interlining. The resin is formed into a paste which is applied to the top cloth using an apertured sheet or an apertured roller to whose interior the paste is supplied. The sheet or roller has a precisely defined pattern of 1.2 to 3 mm diameter holes which print on the part of the top cloth in question reinforcing material of different densities in order to represent the characteristics of different types of interlining.
It has been found that the method and apparatus described in British Pat. No. 1,201,941 is not suitable for large scale production, mainly because the very specific printing patterns which are required mean that different printing or applying members are necessary for every different piece of a garment, and also for every different garment size. In addition, British Pat. No. 1,201,941 gives no details of the properties of the material being printed onto the fabric, and it is found in practice that the successful operation of the apparatus depends upon the properties of the material being applied, as well as on factors such as the printing pressure.
Furthermore, the specific printing patterns disclosed in British Pat. No. 1,201,941 are formed by two intersecting series of parallel lines with relatively large circular spots at the intersections of the lines. The lines need not be strictly at right angles, and in this case the pattern with have some directional characteristics, for example will have different tensional properties and springiness in different directions, but in general, the directional characteristics of the reinforcing will be relatively small compared with those imparted to a fabric by conventional interlinings.
It is a general object of this invention to provide apparatus which can be used for the large scale application of reinforcing material to fabrics, and also to improve the characteristics of the reinforcement itself.